This artwork celebrates the spirit of the 2026 Year of the Horse. At the horizon, a pair of horses gallop freely across rolling mountains, symbolising strength, partnership, and fearless movement. Their forward momentum embodies courage in motion—the will to move ahead despite resistance.
In the foreground, a tiger and a snake emerge from lush foliage, representing instinct, intuition, and inner power. In the Chinese zodiac, each animal does not exist in isolation but in relation to others. Together, they form a living constellation of energies—courage, grace, and wisdom—intertwined within nature’s grand rhythm and reminding us that balance comes from the coexistence of different strengths.
Lunar New Year, for me, represents renewal and fresh beginnings. It feels like opening a new book and turning the first page with intention, putting one’s best foot forward. It is a time of gratitude, shared prosperity, and abundance, expressed through the giving of red packets and the spirit of generosity. Most of all, it is a time to be close to family—bonding over food that carries our cultural identity, memories, and traditions. This artwork reflects that sense of movement, connection, and hope as we step together into a new cycle.
Arty Guava (Lay Hoon Ho) is a Malaysian-born, Vancouver-based artist known for her vibrant, joyful illustrations that explore themes of connection, harmony, and the vitality of everyday life. Shaped by her multicultural upbringing in Malaysia—where Malay, Indian, Chinese, and indigenous cultures coexist—her work is rich in colour, movement, and symbolic storytelling.
She began her artistic journey during the pandemic as a personal practice to find calm amidst uncertainty, drawing on her iPad and sharing her work online. What started as a quiet outlet soon resonated with a growing audience, leading to commissions, collaborations, and a transition into a full-time art practice. With a background in graphic design, Arty Guava brings a strong sense of composition to her work while embracing a more intuitive and expressive approach.
Inspired by nature, dance, womanhood, and motherhood, her illustrations often feature figures in motion—dancing, leaning into one another, or existing in gentle dialogue with their surroundings. These recurring motifs reflect her belief that life is meant to be felt rather than rushed. Through bold colours and fluid forms, Arty Guava invites viewers to slow down, reconnect with joy, and find harmony within themselves and with the world around them.
Wild Symphony
This artwork celebrates the spirit of the 2026 Year of the Horse. At the horizon, a pair of horses gallop freely across rolling mountains, symbolising strength, partnership, and fearless movement. Their forward momentum embodies courage in motion—the will to move ahead despite resistance.
In the foreground, a tiger and a snake emerge from lush foliage, representing instinct, intuition, and inner power. In the Chinese zodiac, each animal does not exist in isolation but in relation to others. Together, they form a living constellation of energies—courage, grace, and wisdom—intertwined within nature’s grand rhythm and reminding us that balance comes from the coexistence of different strengths.
Lunar New Year, for me, represents renewal and fresh beginnings. It feels like opening a new book and turning the first page with intention, putting one’s best foot forward. It is a time of gratitude, shared prosperity, and abundance, expressed through the giving of red packets and the spirit of generosity. Most of all, it is a time to be close to family—bonding over food that carries our cultural identity, memories, and traditions. This artwork reflects that sense of movement, connection, and hope as we step together into a new cycle.
Arty Guava (Lay Hoon Ho) is a Malaysian-born, Vancouver-based artist known for her vibrant, joyful illustrations that explore themes of connection, harmony, and the vitality of everyday life. Shaped by her multicultural upbringing in Malaysia—where Malay, Indian, Chinese, and indigenous cultures coexist—her work is rich in colour, movement, and symbolic storytelling.
She began her artistic journey during the pandemic as a personal practice to find calm amidst uncertainty, drawing on her iPad and sharing her work online. What started as a quiet outlet soon resonated with a growing audience, leading to commissions, collaborations, and a transition into a full-time art practice. With a background in graphic design, Arty Guava brings a strong sense of composition to her work while embracing a more intuitive and expressive approach.
Inspired by nature, dance, womanhood, and motherhood, her illustrations often feature figures in motion—dancing, leaning into one another, or existing in gentle dialogue with their surroundings. These recurring motifs reflect her belief that life is meant to be felt rather than rushed. Through bold colours and fluid forms, Arty Guava invites viewers to slow down, reconnect with joy, and find harmony within themselves and with the world around them.
The Lantern City is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered on this land, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples whose arts and stories inspire us to bring communities together.
